Female mask

Description

wood, white and black pigment, helmet-shaped, crowned by a tripartite disc-shaped coiffure with six separate worked combs, the facial plane whitened, the typical tattooed lines that run from the corner of the mouth to the ear, as well as the line through the nose and forehead are marked in black, raised concentrical tattoos on the temples and swastika motif on the cheeks, remains of a costume consisting of indigo blue fibres along lower rim, slightly dam., minor missing parts (coiffure, left ear), rep. several times at the same place and at the right ear, fine cracks (back of the head), abrasion, metal base;
the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria are famous for their “maiden” masks, which of course are danced by men, despite simultaneously honouring young marriageable girls and unamed ancestors. Most subregions in Igbo country feature this masks, each in its local style. The Igbo even influenced the masking style of the neighbouring Idoma, showing a distinct similarity with the maiden spirit masks “mmwo” of the Igbo.